| Golden frog | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Amphibia |
| Order: | Anura |
| Family: | Ranidae |
| Genus: | Indosylvirana |
| Species: | I. aurantiaca |
| Binomial name | |
| Indosylvirana aurantiaca (Boulenger, 1904) | |
| Synonyms [1] [2] | |
| |
Indosylvirana aurantiaca, commonly known as the golden frog, is a species of frog endemic to the Western Ghats of India. The species is also known as the Trivandrum frog, the common wood frog, or the small wood frog.
Indosylvirana aurantiaca is a part of the frog genus Indosylvirana which belongs to the family Ranidae. It was formerly considered a members of the genus Hylarana until the taxonomy of that genus was revised [3] [4] Indosylvirana aurantiaca was previously considered to be a possible species complex. Specimens recovered from Sri Lanka were previously misidentified as I. aurantiaca [2] due to the lack of distinct color differences and morphological characteristics [5] In 2014, a study confirmed that I. aurantiaca was endemic to the Western Ghats. There are no shared Hylarana sensu lato species between the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. [5] Using morphological and molecular data, seven new species were added to the Hylarana species that were previously known in the regions of the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka. [5] The "small-sized" I. aurantiaca recovered from Sri Lanka was discovered to be a previously undescribed species, Indosylvirana serendipi . [6]
The species was first described by the Belgian-British zoologist George Albert Boulenger in 1904 as Rana aurantiaca. The type locality of the species is in Trivandrum, and the holotype is preserved in the Natural History Museum (BM 1947.2.2.92 formerly 1903.9.26.1). [7] It was variously classified under the subgenera Hylorana, Hylarana, and Sylvirana while under the genus Rana. It was reclassified under Hylarana when the subgenus was split off from Rana in 2005. It was briefly put in Sylvirana in 2006, but Sylvirana is now considered to be a junior synonym of Hylarana. [8] [9] It now resides in Indosylvirana along with several other former Hylarana species. [4]
Golden frogs are small to medium-sized frogs. Mature males grow to 32 to 55.7 mm (1.26 to 2.19 in). Females are larger, growing to 62.6 mm (2.46 in) long. [10]
They have slender bodies with long, obtusely pointed snouts. The head is about 1.3 times longer than it is wide. The nares (nostrils) open to the sides, and are about twice as far from the eyes as the tip of the snout. [11] The distance between them is more or less equal to the distance between the eyes. Vomerine teeth and pineal ocellus (parietal eye) are present. The vomerine teeth are nearer to the choanae than to each other. [12] The oval shaped nares are covered by a flap of skin called the tympanum.[ citation needed ] The tympanum is about the same size as the eye. [13] [14] The lower rims of the eyes are reddish in color. [13] The tympanum is visible but is not covered by a supratympanic fold.[ citation needed ]
The back (dorsum) of the golden frog is smooth or very finely granulated. [13] It is orange to golden brown in color. It may have small black or brown speckles. [13] A wide, dark brown strip at both sides runs from the nostrils to the rear. A narrow but prominent, bright yellow or gold-colored fold of skin runs from the back of the eye to the hind legs. [11] [14] The upper lip is also golden in color. The underside of the frog is lighter in color than the back, ranging from pale yellow to white. [10] [14] Younger frogs have brighter colors. [13]
The fingers are long and slender. The first finger is longer than the second, and the third finger is longer than the snout; the tubercles on the undersides of the fingers are moderately sized. [12] The tips of the fingers possess enlarged discs, with grooves running around each pad separating the top part from the bottom part. [11] [14] The toes are webbed but the fingers are not.[ citation needed ]
The hind limbs are also long and slender without distinct bars of color. The tibiotarsal articulation can reach to midway the eye and the snout. The tibia is about six times as long as it is wide and is about half the length of the head and body. It is shorter than the forelimb but is about as long as the foot. The toes are webbed three-quarters to two-thirds of the way, with the exception of the outer metatarsals, which may be separated almost to the base. The subarticular tubercles are small. They also possess discs at the tips like the fingers. [12]
The male possesses an oval humeral gland at the base of each forearm. Their vocal sacs visibly inflate when they call. [13]
Golden frogs closely resemble bronzed frogs ( Indosylvirana temporalis ), making it easy to confuse them. [13]
Golden frogs are found in a wide variety of habitats, including lentic (lakes, ponds, and pools) and lotic (rivers, streams, or springs) ecosystems, evergreen forests and scrub, bamboo thickets, coastal areas, and rice paddies. [10] [14] They are semiarboreal and semiaquatic. Adult golden frogs are commonly found on rocks or perched on leaves and twigs near bodies of water. [13]
They are endemic to the Western Ghats of India, restricted to the south of Palakkad Gap – Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts in the state of Kerala. They can be found 200 to 1,400 m (660 to 4,590 ft) asl in India. [2] [6]
Golden Frogs are partially arboreal and partially aquatic. Typically found tropical wetlands, moist and swamp forest, and coastal regions, larvae are often found in running water while adults rest on rocks and other objects in and around bodies of water. [15] From hatching to metamorphosis takes approximately 60 days, and they can be distinguished by observing dark bands on their hind limbs. [16] They are normally nocturnal, though they can become active during light rains in the daytime. The males produce a soft, insect-like call. It can be described as "chik chik chik chik chik" or "pti ri ri ri ri" at intervals of 30 seconds. [10] [13] Larger males may have lower calls that can be described as "trrrk trrrk trrrrrk". [13] Their main breeding season is between June and July. [14] When fully mature, the tadpoles resemble miniature yellow adult frogs with pinkish tails. [13]
Golden frogs are currently classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). Their numbers are decreasing due to habitat loss. Populations are also highly fragmented due to the development of land for agriculture. They are currently protected in India by legislation. [2]
True frogs is the common name for the frog family Ranidae. They have the widest distribution of any frog family. They are abundant throughout most of the world, occurring on all continents except Antarctica. The true frogs are present in North America, northern South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The Asian range extends across the East Indies to New Guinea and a single species, the Australian wood frog, has spread into the far north of Australia.
Indosylvirana temporalis, commonly known as the bronzed frog or Günther's golden-backed frog, is a species of true frog found in the riparian evergreen forests of the highlands of southwestern Sri Lanka. They are found abundantly on or close to the ground near water. Individuals are not shy and react by jumping only when provoked. They are important prey of many species of snakes, including the vine snake. Some related species found in the Western Ghats of India were formerly included in this species but were separated in a 2014 study.
The fungoid frog or Malabar Hills frog is a colourful frog found on the forest floor and lower vegetation in the Western Ghats in south-western India from Bombay to Kerala. It is very similar to another species with which it overlaps partly in range, Hydrophylax bahuvistara which extends further into parts of central India. Although restricted in range within peninsular India, they are of least conservation concern. Their upper parts vary in colour from brownish-red to bright crimson.
Fejervarya limnocharis is a species of frog found in South East Asia and parts of Indochina. It is known under many common names, including Boie's wart frog, rice field frog, and Asian grass frog. Molecular studies of the species complex suggest that there may be multiple species involved.
Indirana leithii is a species of frog in the family Ranixalidae. It is endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India. As currently defined, its range is restricted to the states of Maharashtra and southern Gujarat; earlier records elsewhere refer to other species.
Euphlyctis hexadactylus, also known as the green pond frog, Indian green frog, and Indian five-fingered frog, is a common species of aquatic frog found in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. The nominal taxon likely represents a species complex.
Nannophrys guentheri is an extinct species of frog in the family Dicroglossidae. It was endemic to Sri Lanka. The species was first identified in 1882 by George Boulenger and named after the German-born British zoologist Albert Günther. It is not known where in Sri Lanka the specimens were found.
The common green frog is a frog species of in the true frog family Ranidae; some sources still use the old name Rana erythraea. It lives in Southeast Asia and is also known as green paddy frog, red-eared frog or leaf frog. The last name, however, commonly refers to the Neotropical tree frogs which make up the subfamily Phyllomedusinae. These are not closely related to H. erythraea, belonging to family Hylidae instead.
Sylvirana faber is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is found in Cambodia and possibly Thailand.
Hylarana guentheri is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Rana. It is found in China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Cambodia and Laos. An introduced population is found on Guam. It can live as high as 1100 meters above sea level. An alternate common name is Günther's Amoy frog, and the honorific is often spelled "Guenther's".
Hylarana latouchii, also known as Kuatun frog, La Touche's frog, or broad-folded frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It was formerly placed in genus Rana. The specific name honours the collector of the type series: "Hylarana" latouchii was described by George Albert Boulenger based on three specimens collected by Irish ornithologist John D. La Touche in Guadun village in Wuyishan, Fujian, China.
Hylarana, commonly known as golden-backed frogs, is a genus of true frogs found in tropical Asia. It was formerly considered highly diverse, containing around 84 to 96 valid species, but taxonomic revision resulted in a major change in the contents of the genus, recognizing just four species.
Sylvirana is a genus of true frogs, family Ranidae, found in South and East Asia, from northeastern India in west to China in the north, Taiwan in the east, and Thailand in the south. Originally proposed as a subgenus of Rana in 1992, it has been considered both a full genus and a synonym of Hylarana. Its current recognition at generic level stems from molecular genetic analyses published in 2015.
Chalcorana is a genus of frogs in the family Ranidae, "true frogs". They are found in Southeast Asia, from Thailand to Malay Peninsula and the Sunda Islands.
Papurana attigua is a species of frog in the family Ranidae, the "true frogs". It is found in central and south Vietnam, eastern Cambodia, and southern Laos. The specific name attigua is derived from Latin attiguus meaning "neighbor". It refers to the similarity of this species to Indosylvirana milleti. The common name similar frog has been coined for this species.
Indosylvirana sreeni, also known as Sreeni's golden-backed frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae found in Southern Western and Eastern Ghats in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, India, at elevations of 100 to 1500 meters.
Indosylvirana indica, the Indian golden-backed frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It was formerly considered as conspecific with Indosylvirana temporalis but was found to be a distinct species in a 2014 study.
Indosylvirana serendipi, or the Sri Lankan golden-backed frog, is a species of frog in the family Ranidae. It is endemic to Sri Lanka.
Indosylvirana intermedia, or Rao's intermediate golden-backed frog, is a species of ranid frog endemic to southern India.
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